Statement on the PJCHR's Report
The Castan Centre for Human Rights Law welcomes today’s release of the report of the Parliamentary Joint Committee on Human Rights (PJCHR) on its Inquiry into Australia’s Human Rights Framework.
The Castan Centre for Human Rights Law welcomes today’s release of the report of the Parliamentary Joint Committee on Human Rights (PJCHR) on its Inquiry into Australia’s Human Rights Framework. In particular, we welcome the PJCHR’s recommendation for the enactment of a Federal Human Rights Act, as well as other improvements to Australia’s Human Rights Framework such as enhancements to parliamentary scrutiny and the work of the Australian Human Rights Commission.
It is a critical and opportune moment for Australia to replace its patchwork of human rights protections, which have failed to secure the human rights of vulnerable groups, including First Nations peoples, refugees and people experiencing homelessness, amongst many others. The Government and Parliament must now develop an integrated federal system for the comprehensive protection of human rights through a Federal Human Rights Act which protects the civil, political, economic, social and cultural rights that are essential for all people to flourish in freedom, equality and dignity. Such a system of protection, underpinned by a well-resourced and independent Australian Human Rights Commission and strong parliamentary scrutiny of human rights through the law making process, will serve to respect, protect and fulfil the human rights of all people in Australia consistent with Australia's existing federal structures, institutional frameworks and democratic values.
In July last year, the Castan Centre for Human Rights Law and Academic Members Assoc Professor Julie Debeljak and Adj Professor the Hon Pamela Tate AM KC made extensive written submissions to the PJCHR and were subsequently called to give evidence before the Committee. You can read those submissions here. We are pleased that the Committee has extensively referred to these submissions and the scholarship of Academic Members of the Castan Centre.
The Castan Centre will be launching an Australia’s Human Rights Framework Resources webpage compiled by researchers at the Castan Centre to support the public discourse on these reforms. The Annual Castan Centre for Human Rights Law Conference, scheduled for Friday 19 July 2024 at the State Library of Victoria, will also provide an important opportunity for a health check on the state of human rights. For more details and to purchase early bird tickets visit: https://bit.ly/HumanRights24.
30 May 2024